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nitrh l gieten'. getint.. @ffice i. nur n n A c H, o F: sra-Arrone, co-N'Nncrrcufr; Lefers Paicnt 70,504, (lated November 1867; I' i IMPROVEMENT menstruatie RAILWYS.

@In fgchntc ruimt in in ligase giants atnit :un meltingpot of tige nuria.,

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it'knewn that I, A.ELv BEACH, oftratford, in the county of Fairfield., and State of Connecticut. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Railways; andi do vhereby declare that thc following is a full, clear, and' exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and usc the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improvements.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation thereof.

Figures 3 and Ll are perspective views illustrating modifications of my improved track-hase.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. I

The object of these improvements is to facilitate the stoppage of the pneumatic cars at way-stations; also to provide an etlective support for the rails within the pneumatic tube; also to facilitatel the lighting ot' the pn curnat-ie iube- 'Referring to the drawings, A is the pneumatic tube, to be made of any of the known forms or materials.

. B an opening in said tube, representing o. tray-station or landing-place for the ears; and D. is a sliding door for closing the opening. One or more doors inay be employed. D represents the pneumatic ear in position at a landing station. The car is to be driven through the tube by atmospheric pressure, and the motion of the'.

ear is to be arrested by brakes applied in the usual manner. In order to facilitate the stoppage of the car at the station, and at the same tires permit the driving air-current to flow freely onward through the tube while the ear is standing at the station, I enlarge the tube at and near-'the station, as indicated by C in figs. 1 and 2.

Although the enlargement ef the tube is intended to be suilicient to permit the passage of the air around one side of the ear, there will necessarilyjbe a reduced air pressure against the ear while standing at the station, which pressure is overcome by the pressurc'of the brakes. To `start the car, it will only be necessary to release the brakes, when the existing air pressure on the car will carry it slowly in the direction of the arrow to thc line-z @where the tubular enlargement terminates, and where the full pressureot` the driving air-current will lie-brought against the car. The enlargement here represented is lateral, but it will be readily understood that the tube maybe enlarged vertically, or both vertically and laterally. The enlargement longitudinally will be" carried beyond each end of the stopping place as i'nr 'as may be required to insurethe proper arrest of the car. To prevent the eseapeof the air atc-fthe station when` the opening B is uncovered, the tube and Vtracl; are so formed and arranged that the body of the car,'ivhen standing 'at the station, will extend across or cover .the`

opening and prevent leakage oi' air. An additional or moditiedmeans of preventing the leakage of air through the-opening B consists in using valves, l?" F, which pass through slots made in the tube, and are intended to, be pushed inward, when the car is at the station, until the inner edges of the valves come in contact with the car'hody, the valves being made purposely to fit the car body. These valves arc to be arranged on each side of the .opening B, and when the valves are pushed in there can be no leakage between the car body and the valves. '.lhc valves are to be operated by means of handles ff. For thc purpose or firmly supporting the pneumatic cars and the rails -ou which they run, 1 provide the interior of the tube with a cradle, E, which lits within the tube, and corresponds to4 thct'orm of the `bottom thereof. l rlhe rails b rest upon'the upper edges of the cradle, and may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. The rails may be .made with lips, or in the forni of angle-irons, and one edge of the rails may project over and down the edges oftheeradle, forming a fastening to keep the endsof the bars composing the cradlel always in place. It will be observed that the cradle forms an inverted arch whleh receives and supports the weight ofthe cars. The cradle may form a part of thetubc, or may be made sepa-rate therefrom, and attached, if neeessary,.by any suitable fastening. As shown in fig. 3, the cradle is composed of' a series of transverse curved bnrs',.c c, laid side by side. A Inodificav tion would consist in having the hars separated, as shown by c e', with blocks c between the bars. Another lnodiflcation would consist in composing the cradle of a series of longitudinal bars,'as shown in g; these hars being laid inr contact with each other, or separated by means of. blocks placed bctweenthc bars.n y glare the-wheels ot' the c ar. In order to ctl'eet the lighting of the interior of the tube, I make a, recess, F, in the wall olgtbc tube, thefbottom of' which is closed, forming a cornlmstio-chamber' in which the light is placef l To prevent the light from being extinguished by the'strong currents of air which move through the tube, l

place.: glass' plate, G, in the' lower pti-t or the recess F, nerly ilush with. the interei' ofthe tube.' Small.V

apertures in the plate G admit nir to snpply'tlxe lnmenf. tlielight.

I do not limit or confine myself to the 'form or amrnngcment of any of the devices here shown and desei'ibcd,4

as tliey mgzy be modified in various `(Veys without departing from my invention. A

What I eleim as nemend desire te secure By Letters Patent, is-fn v 1. The enlargement of the'tufbe et and near the stopping station, substantially-ns and (o1-'the -pnrpose n'erein shown and described.

2. The method of preventing' .tl'ie lenknge of ai; at the openings, substantially :is lieren'alien'n :mil lasci-ibex! I 3. lThe inethodof supporting the cars :md rails, substantially as herein' shown and descijvbed. 4. The recess F for lighting 4the tube,l substantially as herein-shown :nul described.' u

A. E'LY BEACH. Witnesses:

WM. F. McNAMARA IJ.' ALIsoN FRASER. 

